Account-register.



H. C. GUETSCHOFF.

ACCOUNT REGISTER. AP-PLIGATION FILED 0011, 1969.

1,035,001. Patented Aug. 6,1 912 1: tonne W Maya/WM 1,, ,035,091 Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

SHEETS SHEET 2 H. G. GUETSCHOPF.

ACCOUNT REGISTER.

APPLICATION FILED 0011,1909.

Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

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ACCOUNT REGISTER.

APPLIGATION nuns 00121. 1909,

Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

6 SHEETS SHEET 5 m-WW W we, M 6 i H. C. GUETSCHOFF. ACCOUNT REGISTER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. x, 1909.

1,035,001. Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

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HERMAN C. GUETSCHOFF, 0F FRASER, MXCHIGAN.

ACCOUNT-REGISTER.

Specification of Letters l atent.

Application filed October 1, 1908. Serial 35o. 520%52.

' To all whom it may comm:

Be itknown that I, HERMAN C. Gun'rsonorr, a citizen of the United States, residing atFraser, in the county of Macomb and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Account-Registers, of which the following is a specification This invention relates to an improved device for facilitating the keeping of accounts and which may be appropriately designated as an account register.

The primary object of the invention is to enable credit accounts to be accurately and systematically kept without resorting to involved bookkeeping systems such as are now customarily employed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and improved device whereby accounts may be conveniently and ac curately keptmcrely by the use of sales slips which are issued in duplicate, one of which is delivered to the customer while the other is retained by the merchant; the improved device of the present invention constituting a filing cabinet wherein the retained sales slip may be conveniently stored.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a filing cabinet of the character described which shall be so arranged that all credit transactions may be easily recorded and any error be readily detected.

Still further objects of the invention are to make records of the number of credit or charge sales made during the day; of who made them; and how many customers each clerk waited on; at the same time adding and showing the total number of sales; thus giving the daily record of each clerk and onabling the total amount of the account of each customer to be readily ascertained at any time. t

lVith these and other ends in view which will readily appeal-as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists-in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of )arts which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been. illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention; it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited but that changes alterations and modifies Fig. (3 is a sectional view t:

tions within the scope of the invention. may be resorted to when desired.

'In the drawings z-Figure 1 is perspcc tive view, showing an account re structed in accordanrae with Fig. 2 is sectio a-l clevatitnx a horizontal onal view talc the filing corn art went. F longitudmal time? view the filing ie-annpartmeut il register. I is a v sectional view taken partmcnt containing too i indicated by the line 6- is a detailed top plan rated in Fig. (i. Fig. 2: is a perspectiv tail View of one of the removahtc (sin Fig. 9 is a perspective detail view of o the tray receptacles. F 10 is a if: tive detail view of one of the trays. is a longitudinal vertical sectional one of the tra s. Fig. 12 is trans tree tional view tit the some.

Corresponding parts in the several ii are denoted by like characters of The improved device com or cabinetv which is suitably 9 include a base A, a filing case I tering compartments C and D.

The base A. cont. (rowers 0 may be utilized as cash draw purposes.

The portion of the cabinet which cox: tutes the tiling case is sub divif plurality of compartments each dating a rectangular casing handle 23 and containing tray reccpta f'les l) which are. ranged, like drawers in said ings; said tray receptacles being equipped with base plate '24 the side edges of which constitute tongues fi that are fitted to slid ably engage grooves 26 in the side walls of the casings. The tray receptacles E are preferably constructed of sheet metal, each comprising a bottom plate or member 2? which is mounted upon the base 24., a plurality of vertical walls or partitions and a plurality of horizontal partitions 2.) having down-turned flanges Edi-or thrsage of fastening members sash an rixcts hi cl other 31 whereby they are secured upon the ver;

reception or individual trays or s I" wherein the sales slips or accounts ividual customers are stored for safe l'or ready reference.

-n of the trays or boxes consists of a w elongated box of approximately .lar form, the same being of a size 5. pc to conveniently accommodate or account slips of usual size. In its rred construction the box or tray F is dcd with an upwardly and rcarwarclly red front wall 33 adjacent to the lower edge of which is secured a finger piece 34; the side walls 35 are approximately vertical side walls are connected adjacent wall 36 by a cap piece 37' with the lid 38 is hingedly connected, said fng provided at its trout edge with a. no adapted to engage a notch 40 in upper edge of the front wall, thus form- 7 projection or handle whereby the lid iy 0e readily swung open. The side edges the lid are provided with down-turned i-ges t1 forming grooves wherein a rec- Q W y i card board or other suitable niain be conveniently kept in such a r as to bi; conveniently renewable necessary. ii is to be noted that the sings in which the tray receptacles are tetharc to be open at their rear ends while the tray receptacles E are equipped with walls iZi the front ends of said tray aiiceptacles being open so as to make the :,i'ays or boxes; conveniently accessible.

i 'l: at the tr; ri-iceptax is provided accnt to its sure walls with rearwardly '-'-;teiu.ling arms 43 that are slidably titted io'iigitudinally gr.' ove l brackets 44, the being firmly wired upon the frame 'ig (if the machine. The brackets 24 e ppcd at their forward ends with 4;? which are connected by trac- 45 with V tending lugs 47 adlie rear ends of the slides 43, said ving to impel the tray receptacles forward direction. For the purpose keeping the receptacles at the rearward is of their movements when pushed back ainst the tension of the springs, the rear iii-s or said receptacles are provided with 'iers 48adapted to be engaged by lockthe construction arrangement and ion of which I shall now proceed to The device is eripiip ied with a plurality of keys 49 arranged to slide in slots 59 in ill'i'lI-i'i front-Wall 51 of the frame or of the machine. Eacl'i key 49 is ii n 1 'lli. :32. of bell crank G whi 1 is supported f r oscillation upon a suitably supported Q; the other arm 51 of each bell crank 'irotally connected with the upper trucker 55 consisting of a slidc minor compartments or spaces l A 7 I lly connected at its inner end with one which is suitably supported for vertical mo ement and which has a rearward ex tending arm 56 connected by a retracting spring 57 with a cross head 58. Cross bars 59 and 60 which are suitably supported in the frame or casing of the machine respectively above and below the arms 56 of the trackers serve to limit the movements of said trackers upwardly as well as downwardly. The springs 57 incidentally serve to restore the keys 49 to normal or initial position when released from pressure for the purpose of actuating the bell cranks and the parts associated therewith.

Uprights G1 which perform the additional function of braces in the frame structure of the machine are provided with arms or brackets 62 having uprights or posts 63 upon which the latch levers 64 are pivotally supported. Each of the latch lev'ers 64 is beveled at its front end as shown at 65 and }provided with a notch 66 adapted for engagcinent with the keeper 44 upon the back pvall of one of the tray receptacles E, a reitracting spring 67'serving to keep the lever 34 in locked enga ement with the keeper; geacn of the levers 64 is provided adjacent ;to its rear end with a laterally extending lpin 8 operating in a slot 69 in one of the ;trackers 55. It will be observed that the truckers 55 are made of different lengths-and that the gparts of' the mechanism are otherwise pro- }portioned and arranged to properly cooperiiitQ with the tray receptacles which latter {are disposed in vertical series as shown and idescribed; each of the tray receptacles E Ebcing associated with a particular key &9 {which latter are provided at their forward lends which project through the casing Wall 351 with duplicate finger pieces or buttons which may be inscribed with letters or numcrals or both, or with characters of any idescription whereby they may be associated with the respective tray receptacles and with the persons that are expected to operate the particular compartments.

lVhen pressure in a downward 0r inward direction is exerted upon one of the keys it will rock the bell crank G and move in a downward direction against the tension of the sprinq 57, the tracker 55 associated with {such key and hell crank. Initially the pins (58 of the lovers (A are disposed adjacent to the upper ends of the slots 69 in the trackers; hence. when a tracker is depressed it will rock the lever (S'l associated therewith against the tension of the spring 67 to dis engage the notch 66 from the keeper 48, thus releasing the tray receptacle E and causing be restored, also by the action of said spring, to its initial position. Now, when the tray T''(3)tl(:l is pushed back against the tension 0 the spring 46, the keeper 48 will strike the beveled front end of the lever 64, rocking thclattcr against the tension of the spring 87 and causing the notch 66 to the keeper, thus locking the tray re ceptacle and holding; it securely in its retrusted position. The locking movement of the lever Cl is made possible by the presence of lllt' slot 69 in the tracker which permits a limited downward movement of the pin 68.

For the purpose of limiting the movement of the tray receptacles E in a forward direction, suitable stops may be provided; a some form of such stops consisting in mutinting the projecting side edges or tongues of the base plates 24, of said receptacles 1:: form shoulders 71 adapted to engage or impinge upon inturned flan as 72 at the from edges oi the side wals of the easine's 22.

'lf'he upper part of the top compartment C cf the abinct casing is equipped with roller indicators 78 which are supported for rotation upon a shaft 74; each of said indica tors consistim of a cylinder having a hub 75 whereby it is operativ'ely connected with a ratchet wheel .76, and each of said indicators being provided with numbers inscribed upxn the side wall thereof in successive order from one upward and corresponding in, number with the number of teeth upon the ratchet wheels 76; in the-drawings each in dicator is provided with numbers from one to twenty-five inclusive and each ratchet wheel with twenty-five teeth, but it is obvioils that the number may be varied at will. .l'ilach of the spur wheels is engaged and actuated, by a pawl 77 which is guided for vertically sliding andvibratory movement n suitably supported keepers 7 8 and 79, and each pawl being held in constant engagement with tlrc ratchet: wheel by the action of a retracting spring 80 one end of which is com ltf trfi with the pawl and the other end with a. suitably supported, cross bar 81 whichiatter also supports springs 82 one for ea h ran-m Wll L-l 76, which by the action of such spring is held against reverse movement.

in the drawings hereto annexed four roller indicators have been shown, each having; actuating mechanism associated therewith and it is t-o be understood that each of said indicators is to be associated with ccrand prorated 4i its front end with a finger pit-re M which may be inscribed with an initial or other character whcreby t is to be as means of a suitably disposed spring 88 the downward movement of the pawl bein accurately gaged and limited by an a justable stop which may consist of a set screw 89 lying in the path of the arm 87 of the bell crank, said set screw being mounted for vertical adjustment in the keeper 79.

The compartment D of the casing or frame structure, which is located above the filing compartment B and adjacent to the compartment C contains mechanism for indicating the total number of sales (tr credit transactions during a predetermined eriod, such as one business day Said mec anism includes 21 units whetl or roller 90 and a tens wheel or roller 91. Upon the periphery of the units wheel are inscribed the digits from 0 to 9 in sue-cc: v: order and upon the pe riphery of the tens wheel any desired number of multiples of ten are inscribed in successive order, beginning, however, with 0. For convenience in arranging the proportions of the parts, any desired multiple of series of digits maybe inscribed upon the units wheel, and in the drawings hereto annexed, the units wheel has been shown provided with two such series making twenty in tation in bearings 94; the shafts 93 being" provided with a key post 95 that projects through an aperture 96 in the side Wall of the casing, thus enablingthe shaft 93 to be rotated by means of an ordinhry key. The tens wheel has been shown having numbers inscribed upon its periphery from zero to three hundred and ninety, the numbers above 10 being multiples of ten as before described, and a spur wheel 97 having forty notches is suitably connected with said tens wheel 91 being mounted upon the shaft 98 carrying the latter and which is supported for rotation in bearings 99; said shaft being provided with a key post 100 extending through an aperture 101 in the side wall of the casing. The units wheel 90 is equipped with radial arms 102 adapted to engage the spur wheel 97, one such arm being provided for each series of ten digits, and two such arms being accordingly shown in the drawings; hence. by each rotation of the units wheel. the tens wheel will be moved to the extent of two spaces or notches of the spur wheel. 'Tbc top compartment I) is provided with a. hinged lid ltiS having side openings l l-l which iniay be protected by pieces of glass or other transparent material and through which the registering wheels may I he observed a plate or dia iihragm 106 which is sumiorted within the casing is equipped with slots or apertures 107 permitting only one number space of each of the wheels 90 and 91 to be observed at one time. The parts are obviously so arranged with relation to each other that the tens wheel wili be actuated to the extent of one notch each time that the exposed space of the units wheel moves from 9 to zero; thus assuming the zero space of the tens wheel to be exposed through the sight opening and the 9 space of the units wheel. the next movement of the units wheel will cause a movement of the tens wheel sutticient to expose the number 10 while the units wheel moves to zero. thus indicating ten transactions.

For the purpose of actuating the units wheel, a vertically slidably pawl 108 is provided, said pawl being held in engagement with the ratchet wheel 92 by a spring 109 connecting said pawl with a suitably sup ported cross bar 110 which also carries a spring 111 that engages a ratchet; wheel 92' connected with the tens wheel for the purpose of preventing the reverse movement of the indicating mechanism. A cross bar 112 that, extents through the entire casing of the machine terminally supported upon cranks 113 that are pivoted upon the ends walls of the frame or isine said bar 112 extending through a slot or aperture 11 1- in the partition wall 115 which separates the compartment D from the compartment (7. The arm 87 of each of thebellcranlts ll with in the compartment U is provided with a depending arm llt having an otl'sct 117 that extends beneath the cross bar 112 which latter will ,thus be bodily displaced in an upward direction by each o iieration of any one of the bell cranks H, the downward movement of the bell crank arm 87 permit" ting the cross bar 112 to drop by gravity to its initial position. The cross bar 112 is provided Within the compartment D with an,ar1n 118 lying adjacent to the pawl 108 which latter is equipped with a pin 119 lying in the path of said arm; hence. when the cross bar 112 is displaced upwardly, the arm 118 will displace the pawl 108 in an upward direction against the tension of a retracting spring 120, the extent of the movement of the pawl 108 being! sutlicient to move the units Wheel 90 to the extent of one space or notch.

The top of the con'ipartment C of'the casing is provided with a movably su 'u'iortcd lid 121 aiiording access to the interior. and thus permitting the indicating rollers 73 to be adjusted by proper manipulation. The base of the compartment (3 is provided with slides 122 upon which index cards having the names of customers arranged in alphabetic order may be lllStJl'llJCd in such a main ner as to be very conveniently accessible for consultation. Drawers 123 are also arran ed in the base of the compartment D.

In the practical use of this invention, it is intended to assign to each credit customer a tray in one of the receptacles, said tray being preferably designated by a, nnnher, and a corresponding number being assigned or placed opposite to the name of the tomez' upon the index slide together with the letter ing the particular tray. having a finger piece 81 is assigned to each clerk individually or, if preferred, to each crew of salesmen. When a credit; sale is made, the clerk or salesman after ascertainingthe number of the receptacle in which the tray assigned to the customer is kept presses the corresponding-key, thus releasing the receptacle which is automatically projected by the action of the springs '16. thus exposing the trays in a coi'ivcniently accessible position; at the same time the clerk or salesman presses his individual lacy, thus moving the indicating roller 73 asso" ciated with such key the space of one notch and at the same time actuating the registering mechanism in the compartment I). The front of the compartment C is provided with sight openings 124 through which one mun ber Space of each of the rollers Y3 is v' or number of the receptacle contain- ()ne of the keys 83 tolc. thus enabling the number of transactions by each clerk or salesman to be ascertained. while the registering mechanism in the coirpartment D will obviously indicate the total or aggregate number of sales or transar ions. As hereinbefore stated, each credit transaction is recorded upon two sales slips one of which may be given to the customer while the other or duplicate is filed for reference in the tray assigned to the customer; at the same time the total amount of the sale or transaction is entered 11 J91). a record slip or card which is securec in the flanges i2 upon the lid of the tray; the record being thus kept absolutely up to date, and enabling the indebtedness of any customer to be ascertained by simple ad ition of the amounts upon therecord slip or card.

It will thus be seen that by this invention much complicated and involved bookkeeping may be dispensed with a perfect record being preserved of each credit transaction andevery detail thereof. The individual standin of one customer may be quickly and rea iiy ascertained. In addition to this a record is kept of the number of credit sales or transactions made by each clerk during each business day or other predetermined eriod, as well as of the total numb'er of sa es or credit transactions during such period. It is obvious that the indicatitlii 

